


Land of Wishing Wells

by blindinglights



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Eric Bittle & Kent Parson Friendship, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, M/M, Mild Angst, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Kent, Sharing a Bed, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-11-22 00:18:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11368641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blindinglights/pseuds/blindinglights
Summary: Somehow Kent goes from dateless to Jack and Bitty’s wedding to going to it with Alexei Mashkov. Not arealdate. No, they’ll play fake boyfriends, and then somehow break up after the wedding. He’s not even sure how or if they can pull it off, but Alexei is dead set on it working.





	Land of Wishing Wells

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lautjuh1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lautjuh1/gifts).



> Thanks to MC for the beta! And thank you to M for the Russian help! Giftee, I really hope that you like this!

Somehow Kent goes from dateless to Jack and Bitty’s wedding to going to it with Alexei Mashkov. Not a _real_ date. No, they’ll play fake boyfriends, and then somehow break up after the wedding. He’s not even sure how or if they can pull it off, but Alexei is dead set on it working. 

Kent blames the amount of alcohol they both drank that night for the ridiculous idea. 

(“How do we tell them? About us, going as dates,” Kent had asked. 

Alexei had replied, “Is easy. Just tell Itty Bitty we go as dates, say: Hello, I’m date Alexei Mashkov, because he most handsome.” 

“Shut up. No, I’m not saying that.” 

“Just say we date now, it’s okay, Kenny.” 

“And you really think he’ll believe us, just like that?” 

“Trust me, I’m know what best.”) 

Now Kent’s calling Eric with the news, so Eric can stop asking if he has a date yet and get it over with, and Alexei’s already off in a new city since the Falconers are playing the Sharks tonight. Of course Alexei saddles Kent with this, instead of, you know, waiting to tell Eric together. 

God, Alexei is the worst. 

“You’re doing what now?” 

“Dating Alexei, so whatever you have to do for the seating arrangement you kept bugging me about, just fix it for Alexei and me to sit together.”

“Well it does make things easier for me, since y’all were already sitting at the same table.”

“See? It works out! And now everything is just fine and going smoothly.”

“Now, wait just a minute, Kent Parson. I want to know when you two started dating!”

“It’s new, but listen, I gotta go, we’ll talk later, okay, bye!” Kent says in a rush and then promptly hangs up on Eric.

The wedding is in August and depending on how the post-season goes for the Falconers or Aces, Alexei is planning on coming out to stay with Kent for a week or two before they have to fly out to Montreal. Or if the Aces get knocked out first, Kent is planning to head out to Providence to stay with Alexei, so they can “practice” doing this whole fake relationship nonsense. Kent knows he needs to help Eric anyway, so that would work out nicely. 

Either way, it’s going to be a long few months until the wedding.

\--

They text a lot, which they were already kind of doing before this whole scheme of theirs, but it just seems more now. Kent still texts Alexei pictures of Kit, the ones Kent posts on Instagram and then the extra ones, the ones Kent decides not to because as he tells Alexei, _I don’t want to annoy my Insta followers_. He’s pretty sure he posts enough cat pictures, even if he knows there’s not really something like “enough” when it comes to them. 

_Not annoy! Is very cute cat. )))_

_She is the cutest_ , Kent sends back. 

_Very best, queen Kit. Post more, I like_ , Alexei tells him, and yeah maybe he will. A Kit spam, why not? 

So Kent looks through his photos and finds one to post, captioning it, _@a91mashkov requested more Kit so here’s more Kit_. Alexei likes it right away, and Eric comments. Kent doesn’t even bother reading it, just closes out of the app and closes his eyes with a sigh. 

\--

Kent plays three home games in a row, before flying out to Vancouver to play against the Canucks. There’s only a few games left of the season, and then the Aces are going against the Schooners in the postseason. Sometimes Kent thinks it would’ve been better if the Aces didn’t make the playoffs, but he knows he’d just be lying to himself if he said he didn’t want to be out there playing his heart out for the Cup. 

Either way, the season ends much too quickly and the playoffs start, and before Kent really knows it the Aces are out of the playoffs already after having gone to six games. The Falconers make it to the second round and Kent spends the first two watching in his living room with Kit on his lap. 

Kent’s teammates are already God knows where (partying on beach getaways or spending time with their families, depending on which player it is). Kent would’ve been one of the ones on the beach, but with his busy schedule ahead of him this summer with Jack and Eric’s wedding, Kent just wants some time to himself. 

The Falconers win the first one in the second round, but lose the second game. Kent almost decides to fly out to Providence for game three, but decides against it. He gets on a plane in between games three and four and texts Alexei his flight details. He honestly doesn’t expect Alexei to pick him up at the airport, not during playoffs, but he’s there when Kent gets off the plane.They go straight to Alexei’s house from the airport.

“I’m not going to game four, but I’ll watch from your living room,” Kent tells him.

“Is okay, you watch on nice big screen tv I have, and I get you goal tomorrow, okay?” 

Alexei does get him a goal, but the Falconers lose the game, placing them one loss away from being kicked out of the second round. Alexei’s upset when he gets home, but instead of wallowing in it, he tells Kent, “Up, we go to froyo place down the street.”

“...Froyo?” Apparently Kent is learning all kinds of new things about Alexei. Of course everyone has their own loss rituals. Kent’s back up goalie usually sings loudly in the locker room after losses, because as he says, “I sing away losing.” Kent never understands it, but if it makes the kid happy, then Kent isn’t going to be the one to say anything. Swoops, on the other hand, tosses a basketball against the wall until everyone but Kent has left the locker room. 

“All losses, I go get froyo. Makes me feel better. And we need practice, yes?”

“Practice,” Kent echoes and thinks, _are you taking me on a froyo date?_

That’s how Kent finds himself at a froyo place late at night, sitting across from Alexei, who keeps cracking jokes and making Kent laugh loudly. It’s both awful and great at the same time, but Kent’s struck in awe with Alexei’s ability to just be so cheery no matter what. There’s no way Kent could do it. 

“You’re really something,” Kent comments.

Alexei pauses with his spoon in his mouth, looking across the table at Kent. “Huh?”

“It’s amazing how you just lost a playoff game, but we’re out getting froyo and you still manage to smile. I don’t understand how you do that.” 

“Losing games suck, but I can’t think bad things. I’m think bad thoughts, I get stuck, yes? And then I get no better. So I try stay, uh, positive? Try better next time, try improve my game. I get better, help team, is all I can do. Plus we try better next time.”

“I can’t do that. I usually just go home, get under the covers, and watch tv show reruns with my cat.”

“Everyone has own way, is true. Your way is okay, so is mine.” Alexei smiles around a spoonful and knocks his foot against Kent’s. “Plus I’m here with cute guy.”

Kent ducks his head, digging his spoon into his frozen yogurt. 

“See? Very cute.”

“Shut up, I’m not cute.”

“You are cutest.” Alexei knocks his foot against Kent’s again. “I’m glad you are here.”

“Yeah. Yeah, me too.”

\--

The Falconers are knocked out of the playoffs in game five, and Kent watches it happen in Alexei’s living room. He kinda wishes he’d brought Kit along with him, because looking at Alexei’s defeated face as he exits the ice sucks. Alexei spent a good portion of the game in the sin bin, after having gotten into two fights with two different players, and there’s a stitched up gash on Alexei’s face.

Kent calls him, just to make sure he’s okay, and he can hear the rest of the Falconers chirping Alexei in the background. Alexei is laughing, so there’s that, at least.

“Quiet, I’m talking to cute Aces captain!” Alexei shouts, which just seems to make the chirps worse. Kent can just barely make out Snowy yelling, “Just say boyfriend, Tater!”

“I saw those fights you got into. How’s your face?”

“Not too bad, one guy can’t hit good,” Alexei says.

“Yeah? Weak punches, huh?”

“He try, but feel more like kitten punch. I chirp him after, was very funny. It was just hockey with that guy, but other guy say mean thing about Jack, I get mad.” Alexei sighs, and Kent can practically see him running a hand through his hair. “Have some stitches in face where visor hit me, nose a little sore but not broke, I’m okay.”

“I’m glad they didn’t break your face too badly,” Kent tells him. 

“I’m most handsome,” and Alexei sounds freaking smug. 

“Yeah, yeah,” and Kent would be lying if he didn’t think Alexei was attractive. “Go ice your nose and get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

\--

Alexei has his own exit interviews and locker clean out to do, so Kent hangs back at Alexei’s house while that happens, not wanting to intrude on anything and stir up any possible shit-storms. He’s not quite sure what would happen, but he knows it would be a mess. This whole thing is fine in private, but he does not need the general public in on his business. 

So while Alexei is busy at the Providence arena, Kent is lying out in Alexei’s backyard on a beach chair, sunglasses on, and in nothing but board shorts. His headphones are in and he’s busy thumbing through Instagram, liking random photos by random hockey players he’s met at the All-Star games and Olympics. So he doesn’t hear it when the sliding glass door slides open and Alexei comes out to join him. 

Not until Alexei plops down in the chair next to him and exclaims, “Nice day out for sun tan.”

Kent nearly drops his phone, swearing under his breath. “Jesus, Tater.”

“Sorry, not mean to scare,” Alexei says, but he’s freaking _laughing_.

“You,” Kent says, pointing a finger at him. “Are mean.” 

“Not mean! Am best! You not pay attention!” Alexei touches his arm and Kent looks down, seeing that he’s pretty pink. Alexei runs a finger carefully over the redness. “You use sun block?” 

“I did.” Kent shrugs one shoulder. “Forgot to reapply and I’m pale. I’ll get a sweet tan during the off-season like I always do, though.”

Alexei grabs the suntan lotion and waves it around at Kent. “You do me? I do you?” Kent nearly chokes on air. 

“Yeah, I can help you with that,” Kent says.

Alexei goes to change into swim trunks and when he gets back outside he’s shirtless with a towel in his hand. Kent’s mouth goes dry just looking at him. Kent’s always been aware that Alexei is nice to look at; nice broad shoulders, tall, dark hair. He’s known, but he’s tried not to think about it too much. 

“Okay, you do my back,” Alexei says, handing him the lotion. “Then we sit and get sun tan, yes? For looking good in wedding photos.”

Kent grabs the lotion and squirts some into his hand and then sets to work. There’s all broad expanse of back and Kent is both hating and loving this. Kent hurries up and when he’s done he pats Alexei awkwardly on the back. 

“Good?” Alexei asks.

“Yep,” Kent replies, voice strangled. “You’re good.”

“I do you now?” Alexei turns around, hand outstretched to grab the lotion, but Kent moves it away from his hands.

“I’m good, thanks.” The last thing he needs right now is Alexei’s hands all over him. He can do it himself and not pop any awkward untimely boners, thanks. 

Alexei shrugs. “Okay, but don’t cry at me if you get a burn.”

\--

There’s an end of season BBQ that Marty throws together. Kent had heard about it before, remembers Eric telling him last year when he was freaking out over what to bring, but he’s never been to one. Until now. As Alexei’s boyfriend, no less. 

There are kids running around everywhere and as soon as they spot Alexei, they’re running over and yelling “Tater!” and pulling him away from Kent. It leaves Kent stranded alone, staring after him as if Alexei is some traitor. 

“Sorry, Kenny! Kids love me,” Alexei says, all smiles and laughs, already picking up the smallest child and holding her against his hip. 

Things Kent definitely did not take into account: Alexei with _kids_.

“He’s really good with them,” someone says behind him and Kent nearly jumps. Kent turns around to a laughing Eric. “The kids usually stick close to Tater during these. If you want any of his attention, I’d say fight for him, but those kids can be ruthless.”

“Yeah,” Kent says quietly, watching as Alexei puts on a crown that a little girl had given him and as Alexei tosses his head back and laughs. “He does look like he’s really good with them.”

“I feel the same way when I see Jack with kids,” Eric says, patting him on the shoulder. 

“What?” Kent asks, and Eric looks knowingly at him. 

“Just saying I understand, sweetheart.”

Kent swallows thickly, turning away again, looking anywhere but at Eric and, God, especially not at Alexei who is letting kids lead him by the hand to wherever they want him to go.

Kent decides he’s just going to walk around until he finds what he needs. “I’m gonna go find something to drink.”

Much later, Kent is standing by a few Falconers and Jack, stuck in a huge discussion about upcoming possible trades when Alexei grabs him by the waist and steals food off of his plate. Kent freezes, then cranes his neck to look at Alexei.

“What’re you doing? Get your own food,” Kent says, swatting at Alexei’s hand. 

Instead of listening, Alexei raises a piece of fruit to Kent’s lips. Kent hesitates for a moment before just deciding fuck it, and closes his mouth around the food, his lips brushing against Alexei’s fingers. Alexei rubs the juice away from a corner of Kent’s mouth, eyes dark and focused solely on Kent’s mouth. Kent has never wanted to kiss him as much as he does _right now_.

Someone clears their throat and Kent startles. Jack looks torn between uncomfortable and amused. “I’m glad you’re both happy, but go find a room.”

“I don’t think we need a show,” Thirdy agrees with a laugh. 

“Please no,” Snowy pipes up. “I really don’t want this. Sorry, Tater.” 

Kent tries to take a step away from Alexei, but Alexei puts a hand on his hip. Kent’s probably bright red by now and it is definitely not from the sun. He only hopes he can pass it off as a sunburn instead of the fact he’s currently dying of embarrassment. 

“Just jealous,” Tater says, pulling Kent even closer.

“Maybe not here, babe,” Kent says.

“Fine, okay. Plate empty now anyway. I’m go get a drink, you want a drink?”

“A beer,” Kent replies. 

When Alexei walks away, Kent looks over to see Jack’s eyebrows raised. Jack goes to open his mouth but Kent stops him. “Not. A. Word. Got it?” 

Jack laughs, shaking his head and walks away. 

\--

Kent gets roped into going with Eric to try on suits and so Kent can, finally, also get his own suit for the wedding. As Eric tells him, “I’m not getting any younger. If we don’t do this now, we ain’t ever gonna get this done.” When the rest of the best men and women get into town they’re also going shopping, but for now, it’s just the two of them. At least they can start narrowing down stores where they actually have what styles they’re interested in, since Eric is trying to make sure everyone matches to some degree.

“We’ve been to five stores, and I don’t even think we’ve picked out maybes.” There was one in the last store that Kent was considering, but he had decided that it just wasn’t going to work. He didn’t really feel it. 

“How do I look?” Eric asks, doing a twirl. The suit Eric is wearing fits him nicely, the jacket tapering at the waist and the pants hugging his ass just right. He looks fucking hot. 

“So remember when you hated me? And now we’re suit shopping, of all things.”

“I kinda still do,” Eric says off-handedly, twisting and turning to get a good look at himself in the mirror.

“But I’m your best man, Eric!”

“You’d be a better man if you spilled how you and Tater got together, but I don’t see that happening any time soon.” And, _ouch_. 

“You’re awful, you know that?” 

“I know, honey. Now tell me if I look okay in this?” 

Kent gives him a once over again, appreciating the way this suit actually seems to truly fit Eric instead of either making him look swamped in it or it just not fitting anywhere just right. “Your ass looks fantastic, and if you weren’t marrying Jack, I’d offer myself.”

Eric sighs. “I think this is the one.” 

After that, Kent gets fitted for his own suit. It doesn’t take them too long to find something that Kent looks amazing in. Both his and Eric’s suits have to be hemmed, so after purchasing both, they get that set up. Eric’s absolutely ecstatic and can’t stop going on and on about the, “Beautiful wedding up in Montreal, it’s pretty, let me tell you” and Kent just stands back and lets him talk. 

\--

“I don’t know why you’re being so quiet,” Eric says. They’re sitting at some small restaurant a few blocks from his apartment, cocktails in front of them and food hopefully on its way soon. “You’ve never been shy about your hookups before, or that one time you dated that one social media guy.”

“Which ended horribly.” Eric gives him a look. Kent sighs. “Maybe I actually really like Alexei and don’t want to go around telling everyone everything. I don’t want to jinx anything, okay? It’s new.”

“You know, I’d say that I’m your best friend and I’d hope you’d actually tell me things, but,” Eric pauses, stirring his drink. “Maybe this will be good for you, keeping it quiet, just really enjoying it. I’m happy for you.” 

“Thanks, Bitty,” Kent says. 

They finish lunch, conversation moving onto other topics. Eric’s put opening his own bakery on hold, but he still has ideas, and Kent’s still happy to listen. Eric tries to talk about Alexei, too, but all Kent manages to tell him is what their plans are for when Alexei visits Kent. It’s just little things to pass the time, and Kent’s just happy for a topic change. It’s not the first time that Kent’s felt thankful for Eric’s friendship, because they’ve really come along way since Kent and Jack first started mending their own friendship.

Sitting at some cafe in Providence, Kent realizes he is happy.

\--

Kent ends up spending part of his second to last day in Providence with Jack. They head down to where Jack’s getting the rings done because he’d gotten them engraved. It’s beautiful and perfect and Kent can’t wait to see Eric’s face when he goes to put it on. _We’re a team_ is what is engraved inside the ring for Eric and the story behind it is as amazing as the rings are. They go out to lunch afterward and Kent lets Jack go on and on about it, about why it’s so important to him and why he chose it.

“What?” Jack asks, pausing mid-sentence.

“Nothing, it’s just. I’m really happy for you, Zimms. And I’m really happy for Bitty.”

“Yeah?” Jack smiles warmly. “Thanks. Me too.”

They go to Jack’s after that and enter to see Eric in the kitchen making jam, an enthusiastic Alexei asking him questions and making suggestions.

\--

On Kent’s last day in Providence, Alexei opts for a quiet night in, declining offers from Eric and Jack for double dates. Kent’s glad, to be honest. He loves his friends, but he doesn’t think he can do much more of this.

They order take out and eat it in the living room while they watch a movie on Netflix. Halfway through the movie Kent ends up laying down with his head in Alexei’s lap. He doesn’t think anything of it at first - Kent’s done this with so many of his teammates, it’s really nothing - but Alexei keeps running his fingers through Kent’s hair and Kent is really, really comfortable. 

Kent is so comfortable that he ends up falling asleep toward the end and doesn’t wake up until the movie is over, and Alexei is still running his fingers soothingly through his hair. Kent ends up falling back asleep and he wakes up the next morning in bed. 

Kent spends forever just looking up at the ceiling.

\--

When Kent gets back to Vegas, he finds a message left on his phone that a few new trades are going to be in town and being asked to show them around as soon as he has a chance. Kent calls them back while he’s on his way home from the airport, gets their contact details and sets up a time and place. He didn’t think he’d have to do this so soon, but he guesses everybody is different. They either get here early to settle in, or they wait until closer to camp. 

As he rounds the corner on his floor to his apartment, he’s surprised to see Swoops sitting down by his door. Kent thought he would’ve been tired of this place by now and would be somewhere like the Bahamas, but instead Swoops is still in Vegas.

“I thought you’d be gone by now.” Kent looks at his phone and adds, “And what did I tell you about dropping by unannounced? One of these days you’re gonna regret it.”

Swoops waves a hand at him, then steals Kent’s keys and opens the door himself. “I came back, thought I’d stay here for a bit, plus my parents went on some cruise together. Special bonding time, or whatever.”

“No beach vacation with the rest of the guys?” Kent asks. “When did you get boring?”

Swoops raises an eyebrow. “Dude, shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

“Jack and Eric are getting married, remember? I’ve been helping with it, since Eric’s other friends couldn’t yet and I offered.”

“Aw, is Parser being a good friend?” Swoops asks mockingly. Kent smacks him, which just causes Swoops to crack up laughing. 

“Shut it,” Kent warns, then, “Since you’re here, you can help me greet the new guys. I didn’t think they’d be here yet until closer to camp, but management left me a message.”

“Sure.” Swoops shrugs. “Hey, is Kit here?”

“No, I literally just got home.” Kent points at his luggage. “She’s still at the sitters.”

“My bad, sorry, Parse.”

\--

As planned, Alexei comes to Vegas a few weeks before Jack and Eric’s wedding. He has just a suitcase and a large duffle bag, and Kent picks him up at the airport and they grab take out on the way home. Kent spends the entire ride home listening as Alexei goes on about how Jack keeps asking him all kinds of questions about every and anything to do about the upcoming wedding. 

“Jack either excited or nervous, I’m not know how to help most times, but I try,” Alexei explains. “It helps him if I listen, so I do, but Bitty give me pies for my trouble. But no trouble! I try explain, Jack is my friend, I’m happy to help. But how I say no to Bitty pies?” 

“You know how Bitty is.” Kent pulls into his parking spot, cutting off the engine and getting out. 

When they get up to Kent’s apartment, Alexei wanders off to find Kit right away, going on about how he must post photos on Instagram. Kent rolls his eyes and goes ahead and puts Alexei’s bags in the spare room. Once he’s done, he goes into the living room to find Alexei stretched out on the couch with Kit already laying on his chest. She looks half-asleep already, stretched out on him like he’s the best bed she’s found in ages, even if Kent’s bought her everything imaginable. Of course she’d prefer Alexei, that traitor.

\--

Having Alexei at his house for a few weeks is nice and basically just a whole lot of them cooking together (one failed, interesting attempt at pizza), washing dishes together, watching as Alexei rolls around the floor playing with Kit, and going out to clubs/bars/sightseeing. It’s all very domestic-feeling, and at times throws Kent for a loop if he stops to think about it. 

They do some sight seeing since Alexei has never been in Vegas long enough before. Alexei is usually only in Vegas when the Falconers play the Aces or for the NHL awards, so Kent plans to show him the sights.

Alexei loves the casinos and bars on the strip, but he also likes to head out to other places. There’s the Bellagio conservatory and gardens, various attractions that Alexei wants to see, and they even manage to go bowling, much to Kent’s bewilderment. 

They go out a lot, but they also stay in a lot, too. More often than not, Kent finds Alexei asleep on the couch with a sleeping Kit laying on his belly or curled up by his head. Kent’s pretty sure she sleeps with Alexei at night. 

All in all, it’s nice having Alexei here. He doesn’t really get any visitors that often, none that stay for that long anyhow. It’s weird spending all this time with Alexei, too, but not a bad weird. Just different, since he and Alexei were more the kinds of friends who see each other on occasion (usually when their teams play each other) or ones who text frequently, not ones who go out of their way to visit. And now they’ve been spending pretty much the entire summer together.

So it’s interesting and weird, but nice, and Kent’s really enjoying himself.

And that, he’s not sure how to deal with. It’s not like he thought he wouldn’t have a great time with Alexei, but Kent didn’t think he’d be in this spot to begin with.

\--

Kent had said “we need to really be able to sell this,” and Alexei had agreed. 

And then Alexei had said, “Let’s go, I take you on nice date.” Kent had froze, thought about it for roughly a minute, before Alexei had started tugging on his hand to get him out the door. “I show you I’m best date.” 

That’s how Kent finds himself at the back of a movie theatre with a giant popcorn on his lap. Alexei is next to him, sipping from his soda, looking so excited about this. 

“Is good movie,” Alexei is saying, reaching over to grab a handful of popcorn. 

“You’ve seen this?” Kent asks.

“No, not see yet, but I look on Internet. Funny, has explosions, is good.” 

When the movie starts, Alexei puts an arm around Kent. They’re not really touching, per se, but it’s close. This feels like a date, so much so, that halfway through the movie Kent practically forgets himself and ends up resting his head against Alexei’s shoulder. He doesn’t even realize it until the movie is over and Alexei starts moving, bumping his head from its comfortable resting spot.

“Sorry,” Alexei whispers, carefully cupping his hand against the back of Kent’s head. “You okay? Did I hurt you?”

“N-No, I’m fine,” Kent stutters out. 

“Okay, котенок,” Alexei says, voice still quiet and Kent doesn’t even know what that last word means, but it sounded sweet. Alexei runs his thumb along Kent’s cheek, sending shivers down Kent’s back. Their faces are close together and all Kent can think about is, _kiss me, kiss me, kiss me_. For a split second Kent thinks maybe Alexei will kiss him, but instead Alexei moves away, putting some space between them and says, “We go get ice cream? I buy for you.”

All Kent can manage to do is nod. They can go get ice cream, and Kent can try not to think about how much he liked the idea of kissing Alexei Mashkov.

\--

The thing is, Alexei makes a really great boyfriend. It’s great for whoever Alexei ends up dating in the future, but right now it’s awful for Kent to realize. What’s even worse is the idea of Alexei dating someone else and being this attentive and amazing. It twists something ugly inside of Kent, and he doesn’t know if it’s hurt or jealousy, or a mix of both.

A few times Kent finds himself in the bathroom, attempting to give himself some sort of pep talk to be able to leave the bathroom and somehow try to at least pretend that this isn’t slowly tearing him apart.

He hates this feeling, he hates that he can’t even begin to fully put together his feelings in the first place. And he hates how special Alexei makes him feel, because none of this is real in the first place. It’s just all part of this entire plan, to make believe it’s real, but Kent’s not sure if in the end it’s just making Kent have lapses in memory and start to believe it’s real.

It’s not like Kent can ever find someone like Alexei, someone who makes him smile and laugh, who is very attentive to his needs. Hook ups, sure. Kent finds those all the time. 

Kent’s starting to realize that maybe he is in over his head. He can’t help but look at Alexei now and think, _what if?_ But this whole thing has an expiration date that’s quickly approaching. He knows before long they’ll be back to being just friends and Kent’s starting to hate the mere idea of it. He doesn’t know what to do about that, though, or what all this even means. 

\--

Before Kent really knows it, they’re headed to Canada. 

The airport is a mess of delayed flights and too many people, which is the usual. It’s a relief when their boarding is announced. The plane ride to Montreal is long. Alexei falls asleep an hour in, head falling onto Kent’s shoulder. Kent’s trying to focus on the book in his hands instead of the cute way Alexei is sleeping, blanket tucked all the way up to his chin, arms folded across his chest, and little snores escaping his nose. It’s really fucking cute, okay? And distracting. 

Alexei doesn’t wake up until they’re almost there.

Getting off the plane takes forever, and it takes even longer to head to baggage claim and get all of their luggage. Alexei keeps rubbing at his eyes and yawning. 

“Stop that,” Kent says, because if he keeps it up, then Kent’s going to be the one yawning. It’s contagious and annoying. 

“Stop what?” Alexei asks.

“Yawning,” Kent answers. “You keep it up, I’m gonna be yawning right along with you.” Sure enough, the next time Alexei yawns, Kent does too. “See?” Kent says around another yawn. 

“I think you silly.”

“Yawning! It’s contagious.” 

“Silly Kent Parson.”

“It is--” Kent starts shoving at Alexei, who grabs Kent around the waist, reeling him in close.

“Can y’all save your flirting for when we’re not getting your bags? Jack’s got the car by the curb and you know how airports are.” Eric’s standing right beside them, and he’s grinning, like the idea of Kent and Tater dating and _flirting_ in an airport at baggage claim is just the best thing he’s seen all day. 

Kent feels his face heat up, feeling like he’s been caught. “We weren’t, I wasn’t…” he says, even though they’re supposed to be pretending anyway. Kent should just shut up and go with it, before this entire thing is figured out and ruined.

“In the car with you both, now shoo,” Eric says, motioning at them to move already. 

Kent goes, Alexei trailing behind him saying, “I’m save flirting with boyfriend for later. You show me nice Canadian house? I never been up here yet!” 

“You’ve seen the photos, Tater!” Eric says, and the rest of it Kent just tunes out as white background noise as he wheels his suitcase out to the car. Jack’s standing beside the car, ready to help put the bags in the trunk. Jack waves hi, to which Kent waves back, but Jack must see something on his face because he doesn’t bother to try making small talk right now. 

\--

It doesn’t dawn on Kent until they get to Jack and Eric’s house and they’re being shown the room, that oh right, they have to _share a bed_. Kent is left staring at the bed, which is thankfully big enough for them both.

“I’ll let y’all be so you can get settled,” Eric says, shutting the door. 

Kent drops his duffel on the floor by the bed. As soon as Eric shuts the door behind himself, Kent face plants into the bed and lets out a groan against the comforter. “This is a nice bed,” Kent says after a moment. “Fuck.”

“Ask nice, Kenny.”

Kent moves onto his side, looking over at Alexei who is smirking. “Asshole,” Kent mutters before burying his face into the bed again. He wishes he could scream into a pillow. This is going to be a long week, and he has no idea how sharing a bed will work out, but Kent’s most likely going to die. “I totally forgot this was going to be a thing.”

“Not so bad. We share bed few days,” Alexei says. Kent can hear him rummaging around his in bag, the _ding_ as he plugs in his iPad, and then feels it as Alexei sits down next to him on the bed.

“It’s going to be a week,” Kent corrects. “We are sharing for a _week_. How are you so calm?” He’s pretty sure he’s going to die, right here in Canada, on this very comfortable bed. Sharing a _bed_ with Alexei is going to kill him by the end of this trip. And yet, Alexei is calm like it doesn’t even matter, and that hurts. 

“It just a week, it be okay.”

“I haven’t actually shared a bed with anyone in a long time.”

“No? You don’t have boyfriends?” Alexei asks.

“Nobody, just me. Last time was…” Kent trails off. “It’s just been a while. Please do me a favor and don’t hog all the covers.”

“I not hog all the covers, no worry. I keep you nice and warm.” With his toiletries in hand, Alexei heads toward the bathroom. “I be right back, and then we cuddle. You see, be very nice.”

Kent drops his head back down onto his pillow and suppresses the urge to scream. This is going to be such a long week. _Fuck_.

\--

Kent wakes up in the morning with his head pillowed against Alexei’s chest. Alexei’s arms are around his waist, holding him close, and Kent is pretty much trapped where he’s at. He’s comfortable and warm, and this is nice. Which is quickly becoming a problem here. 

Alexei rubs a hand down his back as he wakes up, yawning wide before kissing Kent on the forehead. “Morning, Kenny.”

Kent blinks. “Morning.”

“Coffee?” Alexei asks, and as his hand drifts back up, his fingers catch underneath Kent’s shirt, rubbing against his skin. Kent shivers, burying his head against Alexei’s chest. This is either a really great dream, or Kent’s own version of hell. 

“Yes to coffee,” Kent says, because there is always a yes to coffee. 

“Okay, I’m be right back,” Alexei says as he carefully moves out of bed. His boxers are riding low on his hips and Kent licks his lips and looks Alexei over.

Kent bites back a reply of, “Hate to see you go, but love to watch you leave.” Because God, it _is_ a nice view. Kent readjusts himself in his boxers and flops back on the bed with a groan. 

\--

Eric puts Kent to work. There’s still finishing touches to be done, like going down to the local bakery where Eric’s getting his cake made to make sure everything should be on time, to helping Eric make sure they’ll have enough chairs in the backyard for people to sit, and going over both Eric’s and Jack’s wedding vows. That last part ends up being an emotional moment, and Kent tries his best to comfort him. He’s not sure it worked out well, but at least he tried. 

Eric is nervous. It’s not obvious, not to someone who doesn’t know him. But Kent’s hung around him enough through the years that he can tell the tremble in his fingers while he runs through his vows, far enough away from Jack’s prying ears. Kent can tell the nervousness in these small ways that Eric starts worrying over everything, as if he thinks if he stops moving and doing things, everything will just crumble apart.

Eric’s also baking more, despite his jam packed schedule. Kent’s not quite sure how he manages to do everything and he says as much while they’re in the kitchen. Eric’s currently rolling dough out so he can cut up cookies. 

Eric sighs and sets the rolling pin down. “I don’t know, to be honest with you. I’ve got my mama and Mrs. Zimmermann, and they’re a real big help. I also have you and some of the Falconers wives and girlfriends, and then the rest of my friends. Lardo’s been designing all the decorations, which is a real big help. I don’t think I’d get very far without y’all.”

“I don’t know anything about wedding planning, except for what you tell me to do, but I think you’d be just fine even if everything went wrong,” Kent says. “Even back when I was jealous of you and we didn’t get along, before Jack and I mended our friendship, even I saw how perfect you two were for each other.”

“Yeah, Jack is great,” Eric says dreamily, placing a hand over his heart.

“It’ll all work out.”

Eric sighs. “I know you’re right.” 

\--

They flirt a lot and Kent’s pretty sure he wouldn’t even notice it now if it wasn’t for Eric and Jack’s often exasperated but fond looks. Kent gets lost in the chirps and touches and completely forgets himself. He knows this thing isn’t real, tries to remind himself at least, but sometimes it’s completely hopeless. 

Alexei grabs Kent’s hand, pulling him close as they walk down the street. Jack and Eric are up ahead, Eric waving his hands around as Jack holds his phone up. They must be talking to friends of theirs. Kent knows that Shitty and Lardo are supposed to be getting in tomorrow or something, the others following soon after, and are going to be staying in the other spare bedrooms. 

“What’re you doing? People are going to take pictures,” Kent says, looking down at their joined arms.

“You not like?” Alexei asks, leaning into Kent. “I stop, but maybe I want to show you off. Look at my boyfriend Kent Parson, captains hockey, and has great ass.”

“But we-,” Kent tries, and he’s pretty sure he’s blushing from head to toe. 

“Maybe we let them think,” Alexei says, lips brushing Kent’s ear. “It is okay, harmless. Relax.” 

“O-okay,” Kent manages to get out and thinks, _what are we even doing?_

\--

They’ve only been here for a few days now, but Kent just needs some time to himself. He really needs to sort his feelings out, because right now he has no idea how he’s feeling. He didn’t want to think about it, didn’t want to realize that maybe he likes Alexei as something more than a friend. He’s always been aware that he’s attracted to Alexei, sure, and they’ve grown closer as friends throughout the years. But this whole thing has only served to make Kent reconsider if maybe he has real feelings for him. God, it’s like in those movies. Kent doesn't like to think of his life as some rom-com, but it’s sure looking that way. Only thing is, he’s pretty sure Alexei doesn’t feel the same way. 

\--

Jack’s pacing holes in the floor when Kent finds him. He looks like he’s close to a panic attack and it takes Kent saying his name three times for him to register someone else is in the room now. He’s not looking so good, and it immediately puts Kent into worry mode.

“Dumb question, but are you okay?” Kent asks. 

Jack shakes his head and finally sits down in the nearest chair. Jack runs both hands through his hair, tugging at the long strands. He’s doing his breathing exercises, so that’s good. It’s something, at least. And it strikes Kent just how far Jack has come, from that one fateful day back near draft day until now. 

“I’m getting married,” Jack says, voice filled with hysteria. “In a few days, Kent. Married.” Jack laughs, voice soft and filled with wonder, but there’s also the nervousness.

“Yeah, Zimms. You’re getting married in two more days, to the love of your life. Pretty amazing, right? And you found yourself a good one,” Kent says, because yeah, Jack got lucky. He found the one person that people seem to look for all their life but never find.

“He’s amazing,” Jack says. “I love him so much, Kent. I don’t know where I’d be without him”

“A lonely, sad man playing hockey maybe. Probably like me, honestly.”

Jack looks up sharply. “Don’t say that. You have Alexei now, and things will work out for you, too, Kent.”

“Yeah, I’ve got Alexei,” Kent says absently. He doesn’t really, but Jack doesn’t know that. He’s really starting to hate this. “How about we go do something?”

“Want to go to the rink?” Jack asks.

“Sure,” Kent says. “Can never say no to some skating.”

\--

Dinner tonight was a lot. Kent ended up sitting next to Alexei tonight instead of across from him and during the entire thing Alexei kept putting his hand on Kent’s thigh and knocking his feet against Kent’s. It was distracting and several times Bitty had to ask him if he was even listening. Shitty and Lardo kept shooting them curious glances, and Kent was pretty sure he was going to burst into flames right there with how badly he was blushing. Everybody else seemed to be completely oblivious. How, Kent has no idea, but he’s thankful nonetheless for it.

Kent offers to help with the clean up and Alexei follows suit, picking up the dishes and helping him bring them into the kitchen. Eric says his thanks and he disappears somewhere with Jack. So then it’s just Kent and Alexei left in the kitchen, standing next to each other, Kent’s hands covered in soap suds and Alexei holding the dish towel. It’s a comfortable silence; just the two of them working quietly to clean up every dirty dish. 

One thing leads to another and Kent ends up with soap suds and water on his shirt and Alexei laughing, wielding the towel like a weapon. Kent looks down at the soapy water before splashing it toward Alexei who evades it easily. 

“No you don’t,” Kent says before finally managing to get Alexei back. There’s water all over the floor and Kent can’t even focus on that right now, because Alexei’s shirt is soaked and Alexei is advancing on him quickly until he has Kent’s back against the counter.

Alexei leans down and kisses him. Despite all the tension between them, the kiss is gentle, tentative at first, like Alexei’s not even sure he’s allowed. Once Kent kisses back, fists his hands in the back of Alexei’s shirt, the kiss turns rough and biting. It’s like a dam breaking. Kent feels like he can’t get close enough. 

“We should maybe move this?” Kent suggests when they pull away for air. Alexei is kissing down his neck and it is very distracting. “Seriously - _fuck_ \- move upstairs.”

Alexei moves away, his lips kiss swollen and red, hair disheveled, and nods. Alexei can’t keep his hands off of Kent, hands wandering as they make their way upstairs. Kent keeps whispering that they need to keep it down, worrying that Jack or Eric may hear them. Thankfully nobody comes out into the hall and they make it into their room. Kent hurries to lock the door behind them and gasps when Alexei shoves him up against the door, resuming kissing. 

“Bed, bed,” Kent says, cutting off with a moan as Alexei bites and sucks at his neck. 

Kent pushes Alexei down on the bed and straddles his thighs and then they’re kissing again, mouths slick against each other, and it’s fucking perfect. Alexei’s hands move down his back before settling on Kent’s thighs, gripping tight and pulling Kent closer.

They start pulling at each other’s clothes after that, hands tugging at shirts and pants, and before long they’re both naked with Kent stretched out on the bed. Kent only has a moment to appreciate the way Alexei looks, because Alexei crowds Kent against the bed and kisses him like it’s the only thing he wants to do.

Alexei kisses down his chest, murmuring things in Russian that Kent doesn’t know but it sounds tender, almost loving and Kent has to close his eyes. 

Kent cards a hand through Alexei’s hair and tugs gently. Alexei looks up at that, his eyes clouded over in pure want. “I want you to fuck me.” 

Alexei groans, says, “Be right back” like it pains him just to say. Alexei quickly comes back with a condom and lube, tossing it onto the bed. 

Kent moves onto his back, spreading his legs. “Like this.”

“блять,” Alexei swears, palming his cock. “So beautiful, how I get so lucky?”

Kent blushes, throwing an arm across his face and hiding. “Shut up and get over here.”

Alexei settles between his spread legs and coats his fingers in lube before pushing one in. Alexei preps him slowly and carefully and all Kent wants is for him to _hurry up_. 

“Please, come on,” Kent begs. “ _Fuck me_ , I’m ready, I’m not a-”

“Shh, shh,” Alexei croons, kissing him silent. “Going to fuck you good. But need to be quiet.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Kent agrees and watches as Alexei puts on the condom and he has to bite back a moan when Alexei pushes in with one long thrust. 

Neither lasts long after that, Alexei panting harsh breaths against Kent’s neck and Kent muffling moans against Alexei’s arm. Alexei coaxes him into a kiss and Kent comes like that, Alexei’s hand on his dick, Alexei fucking into him just right and Kent comes hard enough to see stars, moan silenced by Alexei’s mouth. Alexei comes soon afterward with a moan of Kent’s name. 

Kent must fall asleep soon after, because next thing he knows Alexei is cleaning him off and climbing into bed behind him. Kent falls asleep wrapped up in Alexei’s arms. 

\--

Kent wakes up to the feeling of a warm weight against his back and lips against his neck. Kent sighs, laying a hand on Alexei’s head. 

“Morning,” Alexei murmurs against his neck, running a hand down Kent’s chest. 

“Good morning,” Kent says and bites his lip when Alexei’s hand wraps around his cock. Yeah, definitely a good morning.

They don’t get out of bed until much later and Kent has to avoid all of the curious looks everyone keeps giving them for the rest of the day. He’s pretty sure it’s the hickey that’s just barely visible over the collar of his shirt, but that’s probably just him being paranoid.

\--

Everything seems to shift to something _more_ after that. Alexei keeps touching him any chance he gets; hand holding, touching his hip, hugs, wrapping his arms around Kent when they’re in bed. The thing is, Kent isn’t sure if this is a new development or if he just wasn’t paying much attention before. Or maybe sleeping together has made Alexei more tactile. Or maybe it’s a little bit of both.

Whatever it is, it’s starting to overwhelm Kent. Bad enough he’s starting to realize that he has feelings, and then they sleep together, and now this? Kent doesn’t even know what to do.

The worst thing is that they don’t talk about it. It’s as if the entire thing has been pushed under a metaphorical rug. They had sex a few days ago, and that has seemed to be it. Kent feels both confused and frustrated, mostly frustrated at himself. Kent has almost said something, but he always stops himself right before doing it. Alexei on the other hand has been quiet, and it’s been driving Kent crazy because they still fall asleep next to each other every night.

So what Kent does instead is start to pull away from Alexei, starts keeping to himself, and all that earns him is worried glances from everyone. 

Of course that causes Alexei to approach him about it, because he’s definitely noticed Kent’s weird behavior. Alexei looks nervous when he asks if he did something wrong, like he thinks he hurt Kent somehow. When Kent says no, Alexei says, “You looking upset but I not know what.”

“It’s because it’s you!” Kent shouts and quickly covers his mouth, eyes going wide as Alexei’s face basically crumbles. “No, no Alexei I didn’t mean it like that,” Kent tries, but Alexei’s already walking quickly away and isn’t even listening to Kent’s pleas for him to just stop, to come back and listen. It all seems to happen so fast that Kent’s left hurt, mind reeling as he watches Alexei leave.

He doesn’t even hear it as Jack enters the room, obviously having overheard everything. Kent is sitting on the couch, stuffed into the corner as much as he can, with his head in his hands. He fucked up, and he’s always fucking up, and this is why he’s single to begin with. Nothing ever works out.

“I fucked up,” Kent croaks out. “I never say anything right. I should’ve told him how I feel but instead I made it sound like he’s the cause of everything bad. It’s the opposite of that. He’s kind of everything, y’know?” 

“I overheard some of it and it didn’t sound good, but you’re not a fuck up,” Jack tells him. “Communication is key. Talk to him--”

“Alexei and I aren’t even dating,” Kent blurts out. 

“I thought you were.”

Kent shakes his head and, because he’s already let the cat out of the bag, Kent says, “Alexei and I got drunk one night and we’re both single so he had this idea to pretend to be dating so we won’t have to worry about being dateless and Bitty kept asking. So, um. We were just pretending, none of it was even real.”

“Okay.”

“That’s it? Just okay? I lied to you, lied to Bitty, it was fake, okay. It was stupid.” Kent sighs, running both hands through his hair, tugging at it. Everything is awful right now, and Kent doesn’t even know what to do.

“You’re really upset about this; are you sure this was fake?” 

“I just told you it was.”

“No, that’s not what I meant. I know you both started this as some pretend relationship, but is it still fake? Do you want it to be fake? Because all I’m seeing is you pining for Alexei,” Jack explains, and shit, yeah. 

“Yeah, shit,” Kent says, realization dawning on him. “I really like him, and I didn’t even realize it until all of this whole let’s-pretend-to-date-crap happened. I want it to be real.”

“Then okay, you just need to go find him and explain all of that to him. Communication is important, Kent.”

“I know, I know, just it’s hard, okay? What if he doesn’t feel the same?” He’s not sure if he can take that rejection well, but he’s not sure if he can move on without knowing how Alexei feels. 

“It’s hard, but you can do it. If I was able to take that giant leap and do something years ago with Eric, then you can do it now.”

“You’re right, I know you are. Okay. I’ll do it, okay? I’m going to try.” 

Jack smiles, bumping a fist against Kent’s arm. “Good. I’m proud of you.”

“I haven’t done anything yet.”

“I know, but you will.”

“Yeah, yeah I will.” 

\--

Kent doesn’t see Alexei for the rest of the night. He has no idea where Alexei could’ve gone, but he’s not about to go bother him if what he needs is to just be alone. He’ll be able to talk to him eventually, and then he’ll be able to explain himself and apologize. He hates that Alexei is off somewhere upset because of Kent. 

Kent’s half asleep when he feels the bed dip as Alexei crawls into it. “‘Lexi?” he calls out sleepily.

“Shh, go back to sleep,” Alexei says, curling up behind him. Kent feels arms wrap around his waist and Kent sighs, melting into the touch and closing his eyes again.

“”Kay,” Kent says. “I need to talk to you.”

Alexei presses a kiss against the back of Kent’s neck. “We talk tomorrow.” 

\--

Kent wakes up in the morning to Alexei still holding him close. It’s more than what he thought he’d wake up to, thinking that Alexei wasn’t going to come to bed at all and that he would’ve slept on the couch. But Alexei is here and it feels nice to just lie here with him, to revel in the feeling of this even if it might be for the last time. Kent’s dreading their talk, and he fears for when Alexei wakes up.

What he does not expect is to feel lips against the back of his neck and arms squeezing him tighter. He thought maybe he was dreaming last night when Alexei did something similar, and hell, maybe this right here is also a dream. 

“Alexei?” Kent asks carefully. 

“We need to talk,” Alexei says. “Is important.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what you thought I meant.”

“What you mean then? You say it because of me, I think I do something wrong.”

Kent closes his eyes and braces himself. “I can’t do this anymore.”

Alexei moves Kent until they’re both facing each other and Kent can’t manage to open his eyes. He can’t do _this_. “What do you mean?” Alexei cups his face, touch always so gentle, and God does it kill Kent. “Please, Kenny, tell me.”

“Somewhere along the way I fell in love with you,” Kent confesses. “And it’s hard doing all this, pretending, and then everything else that’s happened, when you clearly don’t feel the same.”

“Open eyes, look at me,” Alexei urges, and when Kent does, it’s to see so much emotion swimming in Alexei’s eyes. “I’m love you for so long, never think I can have. This being fake? It hurts me too, but I do because I think only way to have you.”

“What?” Kent asks, because he can’t be hearing right. 

“Never fake for me,” Alexei says. “I like you since forever, but I never can say anything. Never know how, and scared you say no. Jack say to me I should try, but I, how you say, chicken out.”

“You should’ve,” Kent says, pushing at Alexei’s chest, pushing until Alexei’s laying back against the covers, hair a mess against the sheets. Because shit, “ _I_ should’ve. All this time.”

Alexei pulls Kent on top of him, hands cupping Kent’s ass. “How long? For you.”

“I don’t think I really realized until all of this happened,” Kent replies, and feels stupid for not realizing it sooner, because _all this time_. 

“Well I’m saying now, I want to take you on a nice expensive date in fancy place. Want to treat you right.” 

“Wine and dine me with candles,” Kent says against Alexei’s mouth before kissing him.

“Only best for you, Kenny.”

\--

They agree after that to tell Eric, but Kent doesn’t manage to say anything until they’re all out on the dance floor after the wedding. Eric and Jack are dancing next to Kent and Alexei when Kent finally gets the nerve. 

“Alexei and me weren’t dating before,” Kent confesses. “Just thought I’d let you know.”

“Thanks, hun, but I knew,” Eric says, and rolls his eyes when Kent looks surprised. “Not at first, but I had my suspicions and Jack here told me the night you told him.”

“Jack--,” Kent starts, but Eric holds up his hand.

“Don’t you dare, Parse. He was worried about you, and he and I agreed on not lying, and he thought it was kind of important,” Eric says, then asks, “But y’all are dating for real now, right? I can tell the difference.”

Kent looks at Alexei, who looks so fond and happy, and Kent says, “Yeah, it’s real, we talked it out.”

Eric grins. “Good, I’m happy for you both.”

“Thanks, Bitty,” Kent says and then laughs when Alexei chooses that moment to spin Kent around the dance floor.

Alexei kisses him right there in the middle of the dance floor and Kent hasn’t felt so happy in his life.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me over at tumblr: [Here](http://www.alexeiiimashkov.tumblr.com)!
> 
> котенок = kitten  
> блять = fuck


End file.
